


The Mark

by clowchan



Series: In the Key of Barisi [16]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: AU, Angst, Birthmarks, Fluff, M/M, Smut, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 09:33:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5702821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clowchan/pseuds/clowchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this prompt: you have a tattoo and it tells you how old your soulmate will be when you meet au  (I tweaked it some!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mark

_35._

That's what Rafael's soul tattoo reads.  Every person born on Earth has one.  A mysterious and mystical group called the Fates assigned everyone a number as soon as they were born. Nobody knew who they were, yet they could somehow control people's love lives. The marks looked more like a birthmark than an actual tattoo and could appear anywhere on the body. He even met a man once who had his on his nose. Luckily, Rafael’s mark is on his right shoulder. He could cover it and it would be his little secret.

Rafael always thought it should tell you more or at least, be given a note. What they looked like, a name, hair colour, something more identifying than just a year. It was way too vague for his liking. When his 35th birthday came and went he was sure he would find someone the same age. 10 years later, no such luck.  Another fact is there are some who would never find their soulmate, no matter how much they searched.   He thought he could defy his soul mark and find his own. Why should a birthmark dictate who he would meet or who he could love? What was the point? Significant others - both male and female - came and went. He was yet to be satisfied, to be happy, _to feel complete_.

That all changed about a year ago when his birthmark felt itchy at work. He's never had that happen before and it was driving him mad. What was causing it? He heard rumours that if your soulmate was near it would do that, but Rafael was a logical man. That made no sense. Perhaps it was allergies, a bug bite or maybe it was a new detergent? These might have been plausible if it occurred every now and then. However, his mark bothered him almost every day of the week and flared up when he was at work. He couldn't think of anyone he worked with who was 35. He figured it was just a fluke and he would have to learn how to live with it.

 

* * *

 

One night, the SVU crew decided to have a round of celebratory drinks after winning a difficult case. Liv's treat, of course. How could Rafael not go? The discussion of soul tattoos came up. Rollins was 39, Fin was 41, Liv's was 50 and then Carisi answers.

"45."

Did he say 45? Rafael was 45. No, this had to be wrong. And he was sitting near him and his soul tattoo was itchier than ever.

"Come on Counsellour? What's yours?"

He says lowly, "35."

Carisi laughs, "Hey, that's my age!" Of course, it's his age. Why wouldn't it be? The Fates were without a doubt against Rafael. He was not drunk enough to deal with that answer.

Rollins nudges Carisi, "Trying to get with the Counsellour, Sonny?"

Even Liv laughs at that question and Rafael shot her a " _you're supposed to be my friend here_ " glance.

"N-no," Carisi blushes. "Just joshing him a little. There's plenty of 35 year olds around."

Carisi finally says something Rafael agrees with. On the other hand, he's been with other 35 year olds and his birthmark never itched like this.  And they never worked out. He thought this whole soulmate business was a sham. To keep up with old traditions. To please the Fates. He found the entire concept outdated. He had to leave. He quietly gets up and looks at everyone, "Afraid I have to cut out early. Have a couple of case files I need to work on." This was a lie, but nobody there knew better. The rest of the crew bids him goodbye and he heads towards his apartment.

 

* * *

 

Carisi's answer rang through his head like a terrible earworm.

" _45._ "

It wasn't love at first sight. It was _annoyed_ _at first sight_. Why would his birthmark lead him astray like that? What did these Fates have in store? He drowns his sorrows in another glass of scotch as he sulks on his couch. Why Carisi _of all people?_ That know-it-all loudmouth from Staten Island. With his cute dimples, contagious smile, and his sky blue eyes. _Dammit,_ now he was thinking about him in ways he didn't want to. His mind was an utter mess. _Why him?_ This had to be a joke.

His mark was burning again and he decided to give a better look in the mirror. As he walks to his bathroom, he strips off his dress shirt, leaving his undershirt on and looks at his reflection.

"This is new."

 It looked as if the mark was glowing through his shirt. He lifts the sleeve over his shoulder to re-examine it. Another rumour he had heard about all his life and dismissed. Skin doesn't glow or it shouldn't and here it was. "Goddamn Carisi," he curses to himself as he touches his mark, looking disappointed.

A knock on his door interrupted his train of thought. Who the hell was knocking at this hour? He looks through his peephole. Carisi? How did he get his address? Liv must have told him. He opens his door a little, "What?"

"Sorry but," Carisi lowers his voice as he fidgets with his coat a little, "is your mark glowing and itching?"

Rafael stood there stunned. Carisi had the same symptoms like him? What kind of cosmic joke was this? He wishes he could file a complaint about this. He wanted to say "no" but a "yes" slipped out instead.

Carisi looked wide eyed, "You t-too?"

"Yes, but is that all, detective? Some of us are trying to get to sleep at a decent hour." Rafael didn't have time to deal with this nor did he want to.

Carisi's smile turns into a frown, "Sorry, m-maybe I shouldn't have come. I-I’m just so excited to know your mark was reacting like mine. That maybe you f-felt the same way. I have ever since I met you. I'll go."

Rafael was starting to feel bad for him, rolling his eyes, "Come inside before the neighbours file a noise complaint."  The way Carisi was stumbling a few of his words, rambling on, and acting rather restless, it was obvious he was a little drunk. Plus, his conscience wouldn't let him back out in the middle of the night in his condition. Better for him to stay, he guesses.

 

* * *

 

There was a shyness in the way Carisi entered his apartment, "You don't have to. I could leave and be out of your hair.  I didn't want to say nothin' cause I know how much I can bug you. It's just ... I've had a major crush on you for a long time and -"

There goes Carisi with another long-winded explanation. He was even worse when he was drunk, pouring out his feelings, unfiltered as Rafael soon discovers.  And then there was the matter of Carisi admitting he had a crush on him. Was that why he was trying so hard to impress him so much every time they had to work together? Rafael was so confused.

"A little while after I met you, my mark has been itchin' like crazy. At first, I thought it was bein' set off by other people," Carisi smiles a little.  "And then when I shadowed under you, it felt like it was on fire, it was then I knew it was you. I know it sounds crazy, but ... but I think we're destined for one another."

It did sound crazy to Rafael _because it was_. Could he spend the rest of his life with Carisi? _Would he?_ He was starting to doubt his previous objections to Carisi. He hated this with a passion. He was usually so right about everything else, yet somehow he was completely wrong about his love life.

"Is it ok if I saw your mark?" There was such an innocent way Carisi asked this.

As a joke, Rafael responds, "Only after you show me yours."

In a flash, Carisi unfastens his overcoat, lifts up the left side of his shirt to reveal his mark on his ribcage. Just like Rafael's, his was glowing.

Rafael upheld his promise. Carisi waited there with much anticipation as he pushes his sleeve up to show him. Both of their marks were glowing brighter. Reality sunk in, here was his soulmate, Dominick "call me Sonny" Carisi. He could hear the Fates laughing in his ear.

Sonny grins, looking at their marks, "I read this rarely happens. 1 in a 200,000th chance!"

"And how many billions of people are there? Not that rare, “he dismisses Carisi's statement.

"Come on! Aren't you a _little bit_ excited about this?"

That was what was bothering Rafael the most. He was and how he hated that his heart was fluttering inside his chest.

Carisi leans down and kisses his shoulder.

Rafael jumps, "Woah, woah! What are you doing, detective?"

"S-Sorry," Carisi blushes, which Rafael found adorable.

"One step at a time," Rafael sighs as he gets up. "Let me get you a couple blankets." How would Rafael go about this? His heart was starting to want him, but doubt and uncertainty filled his mind. Was Carisi truly the one? He goes to his linen closet, pulls out a couple of fluffy blankets and returns to his living room. "Here" He hands them to Carisi.

"Thanks."  Carisi takes them and lays them out on his couch.

 

* * *

 

Maybe Rafael could take the edge off with another glass of scotch and so did Carisi. " _Might as well",_ he thought. Maybe both of them could forget this night ever happened. Carisi would just sleep on his couch, _hopefully_ , leave the next morning, and Rafael would retire to his bedroom and left alone.

 Except this did not happen. One glass turned into three and Rafael got rather frisky.

 Carisi barely finished his glass, but he didn't mind the attention he was getting.

Rafael takes off Carisi's shirt and kisses his mark. "Just returning the favour, detective," as he pushes him on the couch and starts to make out with him.

"Counsellour-"

"Call me Rafael."

"Ok."

Rafael kissed his neck, his chest and kissed his mark again. His lips tingled each time he kissed that mark. Was that supposed to happen? He was unsure why, but he liked the feeling. He goes back up to Carisi and kisses his soft lips.

Carisi caresses Rafael's ass as he kisses him back. "Cou-Rafael, you're starting to feel the same way?"

"No, I'm kissing you by accident," Rafael looks at him. "Of course, I do." He couldn't explain why he felt like this all of a sudden. Was it the Fates at play? Being a touch drunk? His own wants and needs? A little of all three? At this point, he didn't care.

Their makeout session went from the couch to the hallway and soon to Rafael's bed.

Carisi rolls on top of him unbuttoning his shirt, kissing his chest and his tummy. He slips his hand under his pants and strokes him.  Rafael was already half hard when he was making out with him beforehand. Once he felt Carisi's hand touch him there a couple times, he was fully erect. As his cock strained against his pants, he moans, wanting it to be set free. Carisi takes the cue and unzips his pants, freeing his cock, stroking him faster.  Rafael was so close to coming, "MmmmmmSonny, I want you."

This garnered a grin from the other man, "You said my name!"

"D-don’t ruin it," Rafael says as they take the rest of their clothes off. He reaches over to his nightstand and quickly grabs a condom and a bottle of lube.

Once more, Carisi took the hint.  He grabs the condom, places it on Rafael's dick, lubes him, then his own entry way, before lying on his back.

Rafael leans down to kiss his neck as he rubs Carisi's inner left thigh before gradually entering into him. Both men let out pleasurable moans as Rafael slowly thrusts into Carisi. He hated to admit how great this felt. How every thrust sent a chill down his spine. How good Carisi's skin tasted as he sucked on his neck. How great Carisi's nails felt digging into his back. How every sensual, intimate moment that was occurring felt perfect.

Carisi's hands trailed from his back to his mark and back down to his ass pulling Rafael closer. "I want to feel all of you, Counsellour," he growls into his ear, wrapping his long legs around Rafael's waist.

That little gesture sent Rafael into overdrive, thrusting as fast and as deep as he could.

"About to-"

"Me too!"

Both of them climax at the same time, moaning each other’s names. Rafael collapses onto Carisi's chest, breathing just as hard as the younger man. Another discovery: having sex with Carisi was the most pleasurable experience Rafael ever had. He thought he would hate himself, yet he didn't. Maybe the Fates were on to something here.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Rafael awoke to find himself naked in Carisi's arms. His eyes widen for a moment.  What in the world did he do last night? And with Carisi? He looks to see an empty bottle of bourbon on the night stand. Not to mention, other things that indicated what they did last night. What occurred wasn't a dream. He tries as gently as possible to lift Carisi's arm off of him without waking him.

"Mornin’," Carisi mumbles into his back.

"About last night..."

"It was great," he nuzzles his neck.

The last of his doubts fade away as he feels Carisi’s mouth nibble the nape of his neck. And in a rare moment, Carisi was right. It was a _great night_. The burn of his mark wasn't felt anymore. He wondered what that meant. "Need to get dressed."

"Do ya have to?" Carisi giggles, wrapping his arms around his middle.

Rafael smiles, "Yes, can't spend the whole day in bed naked."

" _We could_."

"That's true, but we can't be indecent for our first date out later today."

"Are you asking me out?"

"What do you think?" He feels Carisi's hold ease up and he could get out of bed.

"Yes?"

"Such a bright pupil," Rafael smirks as he enters into his bathroom. Before he washes up, he notices his mark looks different.

_3545._

Rafael hoped Carisi didn’t doodle on him while he was asleep. He wets a washcloth, rubs it over the mark some and checks it. It didn't fade away or smudge. His mark did change. Right then and there, he was beginning to understand and to accept the plan of the Fates. It felt nice and he was starting to feel complete. A life with Sonny Carisi might not sound so bad after all.


End file.
